1. Field of the Invention
This application relates to a high throughput satellite, specifically a high throughput satellite that provides loop back ability, increased throughput by re-using spectrum and frequencies in the Ka band, and/or a payload architecture which may be re-configured in response to control signals received from the ground.
2. Description of Related Art
Ka band satellites provide significantly more throughput than conventional fixed service satellites over the same orbital spectrum. At the time of its launch over North America, a single Ka band satellite provided more total capacity than all other satellites covering North America combined. As the demand for satellite communications continues to increase, however, there is a need for satellites configured to provide increased throughput.
There is also a need for a Ka band satellite configured to receive a signal from a market area, transmit the signal to a hub, receive a response signal from the hub, and transmit both the original signal from the market area and the response signal from the hub back to the market area.
There is also a need for a satellite which may be re-configured such that, in response to control signals received from the ground, the payload architecture provides satellite communications to a first market area, a second market area, or both the first market area and the second market area.